Chapter One had humble beginnings when it opened its restaurant doors in a basement in Parnell Square, Dublin in 1992. But it has long since established itself as one of the country's top restaurants, complete with Michelin star, and last night it celebrated 21 years in business with the launch of Chapter One: An Irish Food Story.
Its location might have been a challenge in 1992 but chef proprietor Ross Lewis said it had one thing in its favour. "One of the fringe benefits of being in the north inner city is that you are a neighbour to David Norris, " he said. The senator, and one of Mr Lewis's favourite customers, launched the book at the nearby Hugh Lane Gallery last night.
Speaking before the launch, Mr Norris said he would “crawl over broken glass for the people in Chapter One because they are so wonderful. It is a world-class restaurant and to have it in the basement of a house in north inner city was a tremendously courageous thing and wonderful for this part of Dublin”.
He said he wrote one of the very first reviews of the restaurant for the Sunday Tribune after it opened and recalled what a breath of fresh air it was. "I think it's very appropriate that we are launching a work of art, about another art form, in a temple of art that is the Hugh Lane Gallery," he said.
The book has already been shortlisted for a Bord Gáis Irish Book Award and food writer John McKenna described it as “a landmark in Irish food publishing . . . a captivatingly beautiful work of art”.
Among its recipes are ones used by Ross Lewis when he was asked to cook for Queen Elizabeth II's banquet in 2011. It also celebrate the restaurant's artisan suppliers with atmospheric portraits by photographer Barry McCall. They include suppliers like butcher Ed Hicks, Arun Kapil of Green Saffron and Seamus Mulligan of Cuinneog butter.
Ross Lewis said it took about a year to put the book together and he hoped it represented the best of Irish cuisine. “We cook through an Irish prism and we’ve always prided ourselves on being an Irish restaurant with hopefully an international standard.”
The restaurant has had a Michelin star since 2007 and he said it was always a challenge to hold on to it.
